Messages

271

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Yeast nutrient, worthwhile or not?

« on: April 11, 2012, 06:52:23 pm »

I use Wyeast Nutrient.  I don't know what's in it, but my fermentations have been vigorous.  I tried using out of date dry yeast in the boil, but saw no measurable/noticeable difference.

272

All Grain Brewing / Re: JZ's Oktoberfest

« on: April 11, 2012, 06:33:34 pm »

I would vote d, but I am willing to hear the arguments for the first two (especially how you would know how to measure the outcomes of those approaches).

273

All Grain Brewing / Re: astringency and over sparging

« on: April 11, 2012, 06:30:14 pm »

How do you calculate volumes with that method?

274

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Sour finish in beers using S-05

« on: April 10, 2012, 03:23:11 pm »

I had some tart taste in a Mocktoberfest brewed a little too warm (65F or so).  I blamed it on the fermentation temperature, because I will use US-05 in cream ales all the time (at about 58-59F or lower) without that sharp finish.

275

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Today's brewing disaster...

« on: April 09, 2012, 11:48:56 am »

+1 my fire extinguisher is mounted on the wall in my garage for just this reason.  It was a gift from my daughter when she observed a brew day way back when.  Smart Kid - she starts her PhD work in the fall. 

Be safe, all.  Messages like this one should make everyone check their burner setups closely at least annually and then a quick check before brewing.

276

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Tartness - from infection or fermentation/yeast?

« on: April 09, 2012, 11:40:20 am »

If you are pretty confident on your sanitation, you could bre it again and split the batch between a Notty and a US-05 or WLP 029 and ferment both at cooler temperatures.  That's what I do to contrast yeasts - then you can pick a favorite going forward.  US-05 is my favorite go to ale yeast, but there are plenty of great liquid yeasts that are tailored to a specific style or recipe. 

Enjoy the hobby!

277

All Grain Brewing / Re: Dry Lagers

« on: April 08, 2012, 11:27:50 am »

I had a run of astringent beers I traced back to a couple things. When crushing my malt, I was getting a lot of shredded husk bits, then when lautering I was getting a lot of those husk in the boil. A longer vorlauf and more careful malt conditioning took care of it.

I like this idea.  Plus it is the first and easiest thing to do in terms of changing my routine.  I had been skipping vorlauf and just straining the wort through a double strainer (which caught the few husks that got through the false bottom and it seemed like the wort was running very clear, but now you have given me a reason to go back to vorlauf for the first quart or so.)  Thanks for the input!

Cheers

278

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: What's Brewing This Weekend - 4/6 Edition

« on: April 08, 2012, 11:22:16 am »

Decided at the last minute to brew a Bunny Hop Ale....an APA with Falconer's Flight and Cascade.  5 gallon all grain batch with US-05.  A simple brew day for a lazy holiday.

Happy Easter to all.

279

All Grain Brewing / Re: Dry Lagers

« on: April 06, 2012, 12:53:11 pm »

I use lactic acid to lower the pH when I'm doing very light beers.  I assume you weren't talking about increasing acidity at this point.

I mean to lower the Ph, which I equated with adding acidity through some means.  I was also just reading another thread on batch sparging, which may have impacted this beer, as well.  I use about a 1.25 quarts of water per pound mash ratio, then after mashing (90 minutes), I add sparge water at 170 or so to get it to one-half of the total water, then drain, then add the other half of the total water at 170 or so and drain.  I was under the impression that getting the water total to roughly half before the first draining was important when batch sparging.  Could that be part of the problem?

280

All Grain Brewing / Re: Dry Lagers

« on: April 06, 2012, 12:43:29 pm »

i guess my question also is that the beer actually dry?  final gravity?

OG 1.042; FG 1.012

281

All Grain Brewing / Dry Lagers

« on: April 06, 2012, 11:11:21 am »

I just tapped a lager that turned out a bit dry. I take that to mean astringency and that I will need to get a Ph meter and use it going forward (I have resisted water chemistry issues in the past by simply using a home delivered spring water that had great numbers per a long ago prior post confirmed by those in the know -- I still use the same bottled water, but I have long since lost the water analysis data from the company). What is the preferred method of raising acidity to counter the astringency?

The lager isn't so dry as to be undrinkable, but it isn't where it needs to be, either.

282

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Congratulations to the newly elected AHA GC members, and thank's to all that ran

« on: April 05, 2012, 11:23:53 am »

Now that I see the photo I know why I always feel like I fit in so well with this group!

Cheers to the GC!  And keep up the good work on our behalf...we know you will.

283

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: What's Brewing This Weekend - 4/6 Edition

« on: April 05, 2012, 11:13:45 am »

Saturday maybe an Irish Red 10 gal batch or a pilsner 5 gal batch (only have room in lager chest for 5 gal) so if I go with 10 it will have to ferment in the basement in a swamp cooler.)

284

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Bulk Aging and its effect on hop flavor

« on: March 30, 2012, 10:59:36 am »

I agree with Denny and I have left dry hops in the keg for as long as 5 months without a problem.  It was Denny's RIPA that lasted that long only because I told everyone that the batch had gone wrong...sometimes a little deviousness is required to keep a favorite on tap!!!

285

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: What's Brewing This Weekend - 3/30 Edition

« on: March 30, 2012, 10:45:32 am »

It's the last day of March, so I need to make my Marzen Oktoberfest - I will be harvesting slurry from a prior Munich Helles - WLP 860 strain....